Planteria Round Up 2016 With a Celebration of Success
Thursday 22 December was set aside in the Planteria Group Calendar for the end of year, Whole Company Meeting, kicking off at 7:45 with a full English Breakfast. The Company have now grown so large that there isn’t a big enough meeting space within our offices to house us all, so the meeting was held off-site at the Hilton Hotel Stansted.
Our Chairman Phil Anderson opened the meeting, welcoming and thanking staff for a successful 2016. Department heads of; Sales, Operations, Finance, Marketing, Floristry and Installation then gave a round-up of achievements for the year and shared their own vision, strategic plans and goals for 2017.
Feedback from this section, during the coffee break, was enthusiastic. “It’s so interesting to hear what goes on in each department, we get so busy with our own work that we don’t have time to think about what other people are doing”
“It’s good to hear that the company is doing well and there has been so much growth in the past few years”.
After the coffee break, the Employee of The Quarter Award was presented by Phil Anderson. The worthy recipient of this Award was Marian Varvari. “Marian has an excellent work ethic, he just gets on with whatever is required of him. He is a great team member and frequently goes beyond his remit to make things work for both his colleagues and our clients.
An example – back in October, one Sunday, he could not complete his floristry round as most of the roads in his delivery area were closed, he was told they would reopen at 6pm. So, after starting at 7am at the nursery and completing 2 deliveries he went home and then went back again at 6pm and finished the round. He then did his Monday round as usual. He did not complain he just said that he did not want to let anyone down – this is true dedication”.
Long Service Awards were given to Karen Norman and Martin Collins for five years’ service.
In the final session of the day Matt Anderson, our Managing Director shook things up a bit and took the opportunity to make the most of having all our staff in one location. Matt screened a thought provoking video based on a factual customer service story. After the video, using a random numbering system, Matt put teams together of people who don’t usually work together. The groups discussed creative customer service ideas. The benefit of this was to get staff talking to one another and bonding over their work experiences and thought processes. A whole raft of ideas got generated, and the diverse mix of job roles in each group meant that the ideas generated were informed, relevant and workable. We look forward to seeing some of the ideas becoming a reality in the coming months.
The meeting was a great success and we’re now raring to go and looking forward to a flourishing 2017.
Introducing two of our newest employees at Planteria Group: Bronwyn Anderson and Casey Gill. Please join us in welcoming them to our growing team! To get to know Bronwyn and Casey a bit better, we asked a few questions and we’ve included their answers below. Bronwyn Anderson: Bronwyn’s role at Planteria Group is Executive…
Proud to be a national provider of corporate planting and floristry services We often tell our clients that we are a National Provider and we do so with some pride, but why does that matter, who does it matter to and what does it really mean? We are currently 65 staff strong including a team…
Planteria Group Acquires Jungleworld In a move that makes them one of the largest privately-owned plant services companies in the UK. Planteria Group, nationwide corporate planting and floristry experts, and provider to the FM industry,has acquired competitor Jungleworld, a specialist in the hospitality floristry sector. Both companies have a wealth of experience and a strong…
‘Our customers are at the heart of all we do. We enjoy the feel good factor and sense of achievement in a job well done and we like to think there is no circumstance that we cannot handle.’ ‘Nurturing is natural to us: plants, flowers, clients. It’s all in the attention to detail. This is…
We have a fantastic team of technicians at Planteria, who deliver and maintain plants and flowers for our clients. But there is a special role that one man has… Tom Evans our ‘superhero’ dons his cape whenever there is a cry for help. Tom has his own regular clients, who he visits for routine maintenance…
Santa Claus Promoting Our Tree Service for Offices and Hotels
Yes, it may be September and seem early to think about Christmas, but if you’re a building manager, facilities manager, office manager or in charge of Hotel services, seize the moment! We have all our tree orders finalised by November, with the peak number of orders being taken in early October!
This year we’ve launched our easy to use on-line tree ordering configurator. Available in the Greater London and Cambridge areas for corporate customers. To help us promote our service we took our Santas out into the streets of London to greet commuters with some early festive cheer.
Our aim, to spread the message about our service, and to provide an extra incentive to order now we also gave away a ‘personal desk tree’, claimed by using the code on our leaflets. We certainly put a smile on the face of many city workers. Quite a few were happy to snap a ‘selfie with Santa’ to share on our social media platforms. Spreading a bit of early Christmas cheer has to be a good thing?
Our popular tree service offers live, Nordmann Fir trees as well as traditional and cone style artificial trees in a range of sizes. You choose; undecorated, lights only or fully decorated in your colour choices with optional faux gifts for the base of the tree, coordinating garlands and wreaths. When the festivities are over we take it all away! Easy as mince pie!
Are you ever too old to get excited about the Christmas season? There is something so enchanting about Christmas decorations. The sparkle and glitter that transforms every day spaces into something quite magical. Personally, I still have to quell the bubble of excitement and anticipation as I go about my commute, and trips to the…
Christmas may well be the most wonderful, magical time of the year, but it’s not without stress. From buying presents for so many different people, having to wrap each one in beautiful paper (and desperately trying to find an online tutorial for wrapping), to the mad last-second dash to the supermarket the night before to…
We’ve all been through a lot this year, Brexit, financial instability on the markets, turbulent politics at home and outside the UK. In true British style when the going gets tough the tough find everything they can to celebrate and be positive about. If this seems a trivial thing, or superfluous to business requirements, it…
Christmas in the Office – get ahead with our guide… Are you the person who is responsible for playing ‘secret-santa’ to ensure that your organisation gets into the Christmas spirit when December arrives? If the answer is yes then you’d better get your skates on because it is not too soon to be thinking about…
Christmas is a magical time, and most people will agree that part of the fun, is the build up to it and the decorations everywhere. We enjoy seeing decorations go up in streets, towns and businesses across the country. Twinkling lights and bright colours lift up the gloomiest commute home. Christmas Trees Can Make Your…
Christmas in the Office – get ahead with our guide…
Are you the person who is responsible for playing ‘secret-santa’ to ensure that your organisation gets into the Christmas spirit when December arrives? If the answer is yes then you’d better get your skates on because it is not too soon to be thinking about Christmas!
Not a job for the faint-hearted, it is one of those infamous poisoned chalices. Organising the office Christmas party can be a mine-field, with someone ready to complain about the location, someone-else happy to pick fault with the catering and … probably a few who think they could have done a better job themselves!
You may not be able to please everyone, but it’s very possible to please (in fact, delight) the majority.
We’ve created a quick guide to steer you through the main points to ensure that you give your team an unforgettable Christmas.
Get your Christmas Party Sorted!
Start Early
The earlier you start the better the chance of securing your preferred venue and entertainment, and the majority of your colleagues can save the date in their diaries.
Set the date
Check with key dates in the company calendar, and then send out your invitations and remember to add an RSVP by date. Send out plenty of reminders as the party gets closer.
Know your budget and stick to it
Decide on the theme and type of the event – There are so many options here whether you’re going for a shared party, private dinner, a whole venue or a group activity or experience. You’ll know what suits your team best.
Select a venue and get it booked!
Visit the venue if you haven’t used it before. Consider;
Capacity – is it the right size for your anticipated number of guests?
Location — is it accessible, good for cabs and public transport? If not, are you arranging coaches or hotel accommodation?
Facilities — Does it have what you need? a PA system, or space for presentations, live entertainment, dance floor etc?
If you book a hotel or restaurant here’s a check list for your diary of information to provide the venue with…
The number of people attending – 6 weeks before the event.
Any special dietary requirements – 4 weeks before the event.
The choice of menu selected – 4 weeks before the event.
A seating plan – 2 weeks before the event.
Deck the Halls – Order your Tree and Decorations!
Order your office christmas tree and decorations. Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a beautiful tree and decorations. Order it now and you can be the Christmas Fairy, organising for your fabulously festive, professionally decorated tree to magically appear in the office in early December to dazzle and delight your colleagues.
This is the easy bit, get everything in one place. Go on-line now at Planteria place your order and secure your tree to be delivered early December and collected after Christmas. Choose the size and type of tree you want and select your decoration theme, don’t forget to order matching wreaths and garlands for the finishing touch. Leave the rest to us!
Are you ever too old to get excited about the Christmas season? There is something so enchanting about Christmas decorations. The sparkle and glitter that transforms every day spaces into something quite magical. Personally, I still have to quell the bubble of excitement and anticipation as I go about my commute, and trips to the…
Christmas may well be the most wonderful, magical time of the year, but it’s not without stress. From buying presents for so many different people, having to wrap each one in beautiful paper (and desperately trying to find an online tutorial for wrapping), to the mad last-second dash to the supermarket the night before to…
We’ve all been through a lot this year, Brexit, financial instability on the markets, turbulent politics at home and outside the UK. In true British style when the going gets tough the tough find everything they can to celebrate and be positive about. If this seems a trivial thing, or superfluous to business requirements, it…
Yes, it may be September and seem early to think about Christmas, but if you’re a building manager, facilities manager, office manager or in charge of Hotel services, seize the moment! We have all our tree orders finalised by November, with the peak number of orders being taken in early October! This year we’ve launched…
Christmas is a magical time, and most people will agree that part of the fun, is the build up to it and the decorations everywhere. We enjoy seeing decorations go up in streets, towns and businesses across the country. Twinkling lights and bright colours lift up the gloomiest commute home. Christmas Trees Can Make Your…
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a not-for-profit collective of local businesses who have come together to help improve their immediate area. There are currently 47 BIDs in London, each of whom create, develop and fund projects that benefit local business and the community.
In 2008 ‘The London Plan’ the Mayor’s spatial development plan for London, introduced a new concept, ‘Green Infrastructure’ or GI including; green walls, living walls, roof gardens, rain gardens and ‘parklets’.
Increasing green infrastructure brings with it may benefits; Cooling the built environment and reducing energy consumption, improving air quality, improving health for residents, increasing wellbeing, enhancing biodiversity and creating attractive places where people want to be.
In 2015 Boris Johnson launched a new and more specific initiative called the “Wild West End” designed to link up Regent’s Park and St James’s Park with green ‘stepping stones’ to encourage more birds, bats and insects to the built-up busy streets. This initiative was handed over to the local BIDs. A variety of installations have since been put in place including green roofs, planters, beehives and bird and bat boxes to provide a permanent habitat for London’s wildlife. Adding wildflowers including oxeye daisy, birdsfoot trefoil, and field scabious attract butterflies and bees and create more natural habitats to provide foraging opportunities for robins, goldfinch and other species.
The London Wildlife Trust said it was a “fabulous step” towards attracting nature to the heart of the capital, and demonstrating “how wildlife can flourish amidst the hustle and bustle of the city centre”.
Boris Johnson said the initiative could transform the city for thousands of residents, workers and tourists. “London’s population is at an all-time high, so while we need to build new homes and improve transport infrastructure, we also need better quality green spaces,” he said in a statement. “There is absolutely no doubt that parks and green spaces in urban areas improve people’s wellbeing and quality of life.”
The widespread public benefits of the greening of public infrastructure mean that the delivery of GI has previously been seen as the role of the public sector and the challenge has been to make the case for businesses to invest.
Evaluation of Victoria BIDs Cleaning and Greening programme suggests that businesses increasingly recognise the value of Green Infrastructure in;
Attracting Customers – guiding customers to a retail space and making locations more inviting.
Maximising Spend – increasing the amount of time a customer spends browsing.
Motivating Staff – and retaining them.
Adding Value – working with suppliers and building relationships in the locality, giving back to the wider community.
Looking to the future, the ‘London Green Infrastructure Plan 2050’ projects ahead to our needs for the coming decades, it calculates that the capital will need the equivalent of 13,000 football pitches of new green cover by the middle of this century. These findings prove that green infrastructure projects are much more than nice-to-have and certainly not an afterthought. Green infrastructure is about conservation as much as it is about aesthetics. The future of land and property management will be more proactive and less reactive and better integrated with efforts to manage growth and development.
FM Manager or Eco Warrior? We can help you with a ‘GI’ project; Green roof, green / living wall, eco-friendly planting, roof gardens and more. Contact us today.
Sustainability is much more than a buzzword. While the use of the word has certainly increased in frequency, the concept itself is hardly new. An ecosystem, a lifestyle, or a community that is sustainable is one which supports itself and its surroundings. Sustainability itself can be defined by three core elements: Environmental Protection Social Development…
Without a doubt, living walls look stunning and provide large swathes of real planting from floor to ceiling, creating a real impact… A living wall can have numerous benefits in business environments; they can help to make staff more productive in the workplace and are equally important in improving the perception of your brand. In this article, you can…
The 2nd June was a cause for celebration at the beauty that is the butterfly. Every year BEAD (Butterfly Education and Awareness Day) allows you to learn all about the stunning insects and their habitats, creating a cross-curricular learning environment where you can find out various fascinating facts about the incredible creatures. Butterflies play an important role…
Bees have been getting quite a lot of ‘air-time’ of late, but for all the wrong reasons. They are in danger. Bee populations are declining Since 2010, there has been a 45% decline in the number of commercial honey bees. Pesticides play a large part, but agricultural techniques have changed too over the decades,…
There are many things associated with the UK: tea that solves a multitude of ills, rain that never ceases and queuing that is a national sport in itself. Yet this sceptered isle is also renowned for its green spaces and as such boasts an astonishing fifteen National Parks across the nation. This month, a week-long…
Meet Phil, our Chairman and Founding Partner of Planteria Group
Founding partner and Company Chairman, Phil Anderson started out in true entrepreneurial style as a sole trader in office plant maintenance. He later partnered with his brother, Brian, and grew the company to the market leader it is today, servicing around 900 sites across the UK. With a career spanning nearly 40 years Phil has undoubtedly learned a lot and seen quite a few changes. I caught up with Phil to ask him to share his experiences and advice.
Q. What was your inspiration to work with plants and flowers in the first place?
A. I had worked for a wholesale flower and plant nursery and had developed a love of flowers and plants so it seemed a natural progression.
Q. What has been the toughest part of growing your business and how did you overcome it?
A Starting out on my own, with no capital or income. I didn’t join my brother financially for a few years, so I didn’t milk his profits. It was a stressful time and I got shingles through the worry of it, but the sheer need to succeed drove me on.
Q. What advice would you give to someone starting their own business?
A. Constantly look at your cash flow.
Q. If you could go back and give some advice to the 20 year old you, what would it be?
A. Don’t try to start something in half measures – give it your all.
Q. What has been the biggest contributor to the success of Planteria?
A. The next generation being given a free hand in the business.
Q. What has been the biggest change in the industry during the 39 years Planteria has been running?
A. Customers’ expectations are always increasing.
Q. What are the most exciting developments in corporate horticulture?
A. It has become the accepted ‘norm’ in office, you no longer have to sell the concept, you just have to understand your clients’ needs and show them why you are the best provider.
Q. What is the thing you are most proud of about your business?
Introducing two of our newest employees at Planteria Group: Bronwyn Anderson and Casey Gill. Please join us in welcoming them to our growing team! To get to know Bronwyn and Casey a bit better, we asked a few questions and we’ve included their answers below. Bronwyn Anderson: Bronwyn’s role at Planteria Group is Executive…
Proud to be a national provider of corporate planting and floristry services We often tell our clients that we are a National Provider and we do so with some pride, but why does that matter, who does it matter to and what does it really mean? We are currently 65 staff strong including a team…
Planteria Group Acquires Jungleworld In a move that makes them one of the largest privately-owned plant services companies in the UK. Planteria Group, nationwide corporate planting and floristry experts, and provider to the FM industry,has acquired competitor Jungleworld, a specialist in the hospitality floristry sector. Both companies have a wealth of experience and a strong…
‘Our customers are at the heart of all we do. We enjoy the feel good factor and sense of achievement in a job well done and we like to think there is no circumstance that we cannot handle.’ ‘Nurturing is natural to us: plants, flowers, clients. It’s all in the attention to detail. This is…
We have a fantastic team of technicians at Planteria, who deliver and maintain plants and flowers for our clients. But there is a special role that one man has… Tom Evans our ‘superhero’ dons his cape whenever there is a cry for help. Tom has his own regular clients, who he visits for routine maintenance…
At Planteria, we pride ourselves on the quality of the flowers we supply to our customers. Our weekly fresh flower service brings you a perfect arrangement in a beautiful vase, so no mess or fuss involved.
If you have fresh flowers at home, you’ll want to ensure they last as long as possible, so we thought we’d share a few simple tricks of the trade you can use to make sure you get the best out of them.
Flowers can be incredibly delicate and it is often difficult to prolong their life. The main reason a cut flower dies is due damage and bacteria in the microscopic tubes found in the stems, ‘Xylem’. The Xylem tubes draw water up through the stem to supply the flower. These tubes can be damaged and blocked easily restricting the flow of water and nutrients the flower receives.
The following steps can help prolong their vase life.
Remove all lower leaves. When preparing your flowers, ensure all leaves below water level are removed. If the leaves sit in the water they begin to rot and decay. This is will then cause an increased amount of bacteria in the vase.
Angulate the cut using sharp scissors. An angled cut will increase the surface area of the stem, allowing a higher quantity of water to be transported due to exposing more Xylem tubes.
Use lukewarm water in the vase. Slightly warmer water has a reduced amount of naturally occurring air pockets allowing the water to flow through the stem at a faster rate. This provides the moisture the flower requires for turgidity.
Provide the flower with a source of energy. Well we can’t live without food or water, so how can a flower? A little bit of sugar dissolved into the water can in fact provide the flower with extra energy that it no longer receives through photosynthesis.
A little bleach too. It’s true, a little bleach can in fact help. This reduces the bacteria in the vase water however, ensure no more than a teaspoon and stir thoroughly before adding the flowers to the vase.
Recut an inch off the stems every 2-3 days. The will simple get rid of the blocked and damaged Xylem tubes ends.
Enjoy your flowers!
More flower facts…..
You may have heard the term ‘flower power’ but there’s truth in that phrase! Ever wonder why flowers are given as gifts or to cheer someone up?
According to behavioural research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey USA, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health – flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behaviour in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.
“What’s most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way” said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.
Our Net Promoter Score system (NPS) tracks the level of satisfied clients by asking them the vital question (“how likely are you to recommend us?”). We are very excited about our progress over the last year and are pleased to show you this graph showing the results of all our training and effort in striving for the ultimate customer service. Many thanks to all of you who contribute to this – we love to hear your feedback, whether it be positive or negative – as it allows us to be true to our core values and continue to improve.
Introducing two of our newest employees at Planteria Group: Bronwyn Anderson and Casey Gill. Please join us in welcoming them to our growing team! To get to know Bronwyn and Casey a bit better, we asked a few questions and we’ve included their answers below. Bronwyn Anderson: Bronwyn’s role at Planteria Group is Executive…
Proud to be a national provider of corporate planting and floristry services We often tell our clients that we are a National Provider and we do so with some pride, but why does that matter, who does it matter to and what does it really mean? We are currently 65 staff strong including a team…
Planteria Group Acquires Jungleworld In a move that makes them one of the largest privately-owned plant services companies in the UK. Planteria Group, nationwide corporate planting and floristry experts, and provider to the FM industry,has acquired competitor Jungleworld, a specialist in the hospitality floristry sector. Both companies have a wealth of experience and a strong…
‘Our customers are at the heart of all we do. We enjoy the feel good factor and sense of achievement in a job well done and we like to think there is no circumstance that we cannot handle.’ ‘Nurturing is natural to us: plants, flowers, clients. It’s all in the attention to detail. This is…
We have a fantastic team of technicians at Planteria, who deliver and maintain plants and flowers for our clients. But there is a special role that one man has… Tom Evans our ‘superhero’ dons his cape whenever there is a cry for help. Tom has his own regular clients, who he visits for routine maintenance…
With the wild weather that has recently hit this country, we suffered, along with many other companies, several power-cuts which disrupted the progress of day-to-day work. Rather than sitting tight and just waiting for them to happen, we have installed a substantial generator to ensure we can keep rolling through any power-cut! ‘substantial’ is the operative word – our operations manager reckons it has enough power to keep the local village going!
Introducing two of our newest employees at Planteria Group: Bronwyn Anderson and Casey Gill. Please join us in welcoming them to our growing team! To get to know Bronwyn and Casey a bit better, we asked a few questions and we’ve included their answers below. Bronwyn Anderson: Bronwyn’s role at Planteria Group is Executive…
Proud to be a national provider of corporate planting and floristry services We often tell our clients that we are a National Provider and we do so with some pride, but why does that matter, who does it matter to and what does it really mean? We are currently 65 staff strong including a team…
Planteria Group Acquires Jungleworld In a move that makes them one of the largest privately-owned plant services companies in the UK. Planteria Group, nationwide corporate planting and floristry experts, and provider to the FM industry,has acquired competitor Jungleworld, a specialist in the hospitality floristry sector. Both companies have a wealth of experience and a strong…
‘Our customers are at the heart of all we do. We enjoy the feel good factor and sense of achievement in a job well done and we like to think there is no circumstance that we cannot handle.’ ‘Nurturing is natural to us: plants, flowers, clients. It’s all in the attention to detail. This is…
We have a fantastic team of technicians at Planteria, who deliver and maintain plants and flowers for our clients. But there is a special role that one man has… Tom Evans our ‘superhero’ dons his cape whenever there is a cry for help. Tom has his own regular clients, who he visits for routine maintenance…
More than simply working to survive, modern workers in developed nations desire to be able to take pride in their work, make a meaningful contribution, and gain respect from their peers. The journey towards achieving respect in the workplace is a very personal one, but you can help your workers to achieve their career goals by providing them with an office that promotes their mental well-being.
Luckily for business owners looking to raise company morale, small easy-to-do things can make a big impact. This means that improving the mood of your workers can be as simple as offering free coffee, vouchers, office plants, or thoughtful useful gift items. This article will address some ideas which you can use in your company to help keep your workers happy, healthy and support them to achieve to the best of their ability.
Perks at Work
Place yourself in the shoes of your employees and ask yourself what kind of working environment you are promoting. What does their average day look like and how could you improve that? These are the kinds of questions that top companies are asking themselves when they’re looking to fix their offices. Google, for example, doesn’t hold back when it comes to ensuring its workforce are well-fed, hydrated and healthy; they provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as free coffee to keep the caffeine flowing. Alongside these very ingestible perks, Google recognises the negative effects that stress can have on work-output, so they also offer on-site massages.
Your company might not have the resources to feed all its workers every day of the week, but you can apply a similar mentality when it comes to choosing which perks you should prioritise.
Office Pets
Office pets don’t necessarily mean buying an animal for the express purpose of having it inhabit the office. Chances are, plenty of your staff have pets of their own; asking them to bring their pets to work occasionally will come completely free of charge for your business.
There are plenty of benefits to bringing staff pets to work. Dogs and cats are well known for reducing stress, so this could be a cheaper alternative to Google’s on-site masseurs. On the other hand, there’s no telling how well-trained the pet is until they’re already in your office; no-one wants dog dirt on the office carpet!
Office Plants
A perk that shares qualities with office pets but won’t leave poo on your floor is the office plant. As well as adding a splash of colour to what might be a monotonous black and white office environment, office plants are also known for reducing stress and boosting health by improving air quality, and helping to connect your people to nature (known as biophilia).
You can use plants to decorate your office; to fill space softening the corporate image and blank white walls, to provide privacy or break up large open plan spaces, and to improve the acoustics, which works in a similar way to using soft furnishings. Plants are living organisms, so it’s important to choose a plant that suits your office. Perhaps start with easy, low-maintenance plants to see what your office can handle taking care of in the beginning.
If you choose to have plants placed around the office at intervals, you can connect your workers by establishing a watering rota so that each of your employees is sure to appreciate the greenery and reap the benefits of interacting with nature during office time. Alternatively, you can gift each desk with an individual plant of its own to promote feelings of individuality and creativity. Planteria offer a variety of plant displays for your office needs, and offer a free design and quote service, plus aftercare so that all the watering and pruning is taken care of by the experts.
Fitness
Another way to reduce absenteeism in the workplace is to encourage fitness training among your employees. Fitter employees will likely be healthier employees with stronger immune systems. You can encourage this by offering your workers vouchers for the local gym, or you can go an extra step and encourage in-office yoga meetings which will have the added effect of bringing your workforce closer together by exercising as a group.
Yoga is a particularly useful exercise as it encourages participants to relax and clear their minds, allowing your workforce to be able to concentrate clearly on whatever tasks follow their yoga practice, eliminating any worries and stresses experienced during the morning routines.
Office Bar Friday
Show your workforce that you also get that Friday feeling, and perhaps treat them (and yourself) to something special when Friday rolls around. The appearance of an office bar during Friday’s final working hours will encourage your workforce to socialise, which will subsequently cultivate a stronger bond between your workers, which will increase productivity. Far from being just another cog in the corporate machine, you’re showing your workers that being a team is important, and by providing the drinks, you’re showing them praise for the week’s efforts.
There are lots of ways to increase productivity and mental-wellbeing in your office, not to mention that providing office perks means that your employees are more likely to stay with your company, rather than job hopping. Indeed, the average Brit will change employer every five years on average, according to the BBC. If you want to cultivate a strong workforce that’s going to stick around, it’s vital that you think about more than your workers’ needs; you should also address what makes them happy and content. Think office food, office pets, office fitness, office parties and of course plants!
Are you an Eco Warrior, a Sustainability Superstar or a Green Hero? We take a light-hearted look at this serious topic. Do you recognise your ‘Green Leadership Style’ and some of your challenges? We also offer some practical suggestions to help you get your team on-board and make some green improvements around the office. A…
You may have heard the expression – ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’. This is certainly true. Research indicates that impressions are formed very quickly, sometimes in as little as a second, and once formed are hard to change. When you think about your brand identity, what does your location…
Facilities Managers have a lot on their plate! Responsible for the management of services and processes that support the core business of an organisation and tasked with using best business practice to improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and increasing productivity. Juggling the competing needs of the end user, reactive maintenance, supplier relations and contract management…
Over the past year we’ve been busy. Our No.1 focus was to get our service from a good standard, to a great standard, to exceed all expectations…it’s been hard work and our service team have really dedicated themselves to creating ‘raving fans’! And look at the results!
Our ‘10 minute response time to all service queries’ has increased by 40%!
Our ‘solution to query provided within 2 hours’ has increased by 32%!
…in just 6 months.
We think they deserve a large pat on the back! Watch this space for next year – we’re on our journey to create raving fans…
Introducing two of our newest employees at Planteria Group: Bronwyn Anderson and Casey Gill. Please join us in welcoming them to our growing team! To get to know Bronwyn and Casey a bit better, we asked a few questions and we’ve included their answers below. Bronwyn Anderson: Bronwyn’s role at Planteria Group is Executive…
Proud to be a national provider of corporate planting and floristry services We often tell our clients that we are a National Provider and we do so with some pride, but why does that matter, who does it matter to and what does it really mean? We are currently 65 staff strong including a team…
Planteria Group Acquires Jungleworld In a move that makes them one of the largest privately-owned plant services companies in the UK. Planteria Group, nationwide corporate planting and floristry experts, and provider to the FM industry,has acquired competitor Jungleworld, a specialist in the hospitality floristry sector. Both companies have a wealth of experience and a strong…
‘Our customers are at the heart of all we do. We enjoy the feel good factor and sense of achievement in a job well done and we like to think there is no circumstance that we cannot handle.’ ‘Nurturing is natural to us: plants, flowers, clients. It’s all in the attention to detail. This is…
We have a fantastic team of technicians at Planteria, who deliver and maintain plants and flowers for our clients. But there is a special role that one man has… Tom Evans our ‘superhero’ dons his cape whenever there is a cry for help. Tom has his own regular clients, who he visits for routine maintenance…
Christmas Trees for Business: Stand Out for the Festive Season
Christmas is a magical time, and most people will agree that part of the fun, is the build up to it and the decorations everywhere. We enjoy seeing decorations go up in streets, towns and businesses across the country. Twinkling lights and bright colours lift up the gloomiest commute home.
Christmas Trees Can Make Your Office, Hotel or Store Stand Out from the Crowd
You may have seen beautiful trees in some office receptions, hotels and store windows and thought they look stunning and wondered how, as if by magic, a 20ft tree went up overnight?
Part of the difficulty of getting a Christmas tree for your office or business is actually getting it back to the premises, especially if you are in busy city centre location. Of course, decorating a large tree may involve using a step ladder and takes time and a practiced eye. So, who does this job at your office? Maybe it’s you, and you already have a ‘to-do’ list as long as your arm, as well as everything else that goes on during the holiday festivities? This is the perfect job to outsource to the professionals, and if it isn’t your job, do pass this on right colleague, they’ll thank you for it!
Leave It To Planteria, We’ll Do It All For You
Planteria does the hard work for you, providing a bespoke and professional Christmas Tree service that caters for business needs, practically and professionally. Our service ensures that your Christmas tree is hand-picked, delivered and decorated, with all the fuss associated with these yuletide festivities completely eliminated. This gives you the opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the occasion, without running the risk of decorating-related workplace injuries.
Not only that, but with a wide range of colours to choose from you can select the perfect theme for your location, or even match your corporate branding. Simply order your Christmas Tree online, choose, real or artificial, with lights only or fully decorated. You can add wrapped decorative ‘presents’ to complete the finished look, and also add complementing wreaths and garlands.
Select your chosen delivery slot and pay for your tree. Planteria will contact you to confirm your exact delivery in November, and will then deliver and decorate your tree in situ on that date. We will also collect your tree on your pre-selected collection date after Christmas, this is all part of the service and included in the price.
No more attempting to hire a vehicle large enough to transport an enormous tree, all the while unloading and parking in a busy city centre. From your initial order all the way through to post-Christmas collection, we have you completely covered.
The Tale of our Christmas Trees
Our Christmas trees are grown on sustainable UK Christmas tree farms which harvest and replant trees every year. It generally takes about 10 years to grow a Christmas tree from seed to a size ready for cutting. A Christmas tree farm is carbon positive for most of the year as the trees absorb Carbon and emit Oxygen. Once a Christmas Tree has graced your office or venue, it can be recycled, typically sent through a chipper to be used as mulch for parks and green areas.
We start preparing for the holiday season in July and August, with our Tree specialists visiting Christmas tree farms to ‘tag’ the type and size of trees that we want on behalf of our clients, wandering through acres and acres of fields to pick out the perfect trees. The specific need of the client determines the type of tree we select for them: larger trees, which sell out quickly, are often reserved for clients with premises that call for larger statement centrepieces – particularly hotels with spectacular lobbies and organisations with airy atriums.
We offer a first come, first served basis for these larger trees, and therefore to avoid disappointment, we suggest that customers looking for a Christmas tree on a ‘grander’ scale – that is, 10 feet or taller – should order as early in the year as possible. These taller trees are sourced from a specialist farm in the South East and are show-stoppers to suit all spaces.
Christmas Trees for Busy Companies
When ordering a tree on behalf of your business, chances are that you have chosen a tree that is significantly larger than the standard, domestic tree and decorating it to an acceptably high standard will be incredibly difficult. Remember – this tree will be associated with your business. You need it to look the part.
Our corporate office Christmas trees service is a popular choice for this reason – delivered to a high standard, we are on point as far as colours and trends are concerned. This year, we have introduced two brand-new colour schemes, tapping into current fashion trends with Rose Gold, and a Silver & Gold combination. This is in addition to the classics; Red & Gold, and Blue & Silver, if these combinations aren’t to your taste, we have a eleven colour schemes available, all of which can be mixed and matched to suit your needs.
Want to Find Out More?
If our service sounds like something of interest to you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to discuss how we can work together to meet your particular needs. Our professional team are versatile and operate successfully to achieve the look you desire at a cost-effective price, ensuring your vision becomes a reality and your holiday season remains entirely stress-free.
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Are you an Eco Warrior, a Sustainability Superstar or a Green Hero?
We take a light-hearted look at this serious topic. Do you recognise your ‘Green Leadership Style’ and some of your challenges?
We also offer some practical suggestions to help you get your team on-board and make some green improvements around the office.
A recent, international study conducted by Unilever, revealed a third of consumers (33%) are now buying from brands based on their social and environmental impact. And an estimated €966 billion opportunity exists for brands that make their sustainability credentials clear.
The study asked 20,000 adults from five countries how their sustainability concerns impact their choices in-store and at home. Crucially, it then mapped their claims against real purchase decisions, giving a more accurate picture than ever of what people are actually buying – and why.
Strong emotions and opinions on the subject should be hardly surprising when you consider the vast amount of media attention that the problem of plastics in our oceans, and rubbish going to landfill, along with climate change accelerations. Are we all looking to someone else for the answers or are we creating the solution?
You’re likely to be the person in your workplace who is tasked with responsibility for steering your business into more environmentally friendly waters.
Which is Your ‘Green Leadership Style’?
“The Eco Warrior “
The Eco Warrior is most likely to be found working for a Tech-firm, in the Not for Profit sector, or in a company that is already integrated with a Green lifestyle. You are fully supported by your company who have embraced the plants you have added to all the indoor areas. Leading by example you will cycle, walk, or use public transport on your commute to the office. A true Eco Warrior will be on a personal zero to waste journey, having ditched shampoo in a bottle in favour of a bar variety. Woe betide any co-worker who is spotted with a single use plastic Frappuccino cup or a plastic straw! You lead by example and have a fervent conviction that we should all vote with our wallets and switch to greener and more ethical brands.
“The Sustainability Superstar”
You’re probably working for a large Multi-National with responsibility for ensuring sustainability across all areas of your business, which has already recognised the importance of this subject enough to appoint you to focus full-time on it. You are likely to review the compliance and green credentials of suppliers and potential business partners to ensure that there’s no ‘green-wash’ going on. This means reviewing documents and verifying details with a magnifying glass. You spend your spare moments reviewing news letters from http://sustainabilitypractitioners.org even when you wish you were strolling around Hyde Park or doing some ‘Forest bathing’ instead. Passionate about the importance of your role to create impact and effect positive changes, your natural business acumen and ability to influence the board, innovate and suggest changes that will also boost the bottom line, mean you really deserve a superhero cape to wear to the office.
“The Green Hero”
Being environmentally aware and ethical is ingrained in your psyche, and comes naturally to you. Your role as office manager or facilities manager is one of juggling many balls, and spinning plates, keeping the whole place running smoothly. However, yours is a challenging task as you are often battling against colleagues who don’t share the same mind-set, or are perhaps just not as ‘enlightened’ as you. You despair of the amount of paper used in the printer for tasks which frankly need not be printed at all. Not to mention the take-out wrappings, and cups which you keep finding in the waste bins rather than the recycling bins you have provided. Sometimes you wonder if you are sounding more like a nagging parent than a departmental manager. As Kermit the frog famously said, “It’s not easy being Green”, and some of your colleagues, it seems, are determined to prove him right. It takes time for people to adopt new habits. But you are on a mission to ensure that they do. Take it from us, you’re the one who really deserves a medal.
7 Easy Top Tips For Being Greener in The Office
Top tip 1: Cutting Back on Consumption – In the Kitchen
Ditch the coffee shop runs, or the coffee pod machine and most certainly get your colleagues out of the habit of buying single use plastic bottles of drink… and invest in a proper coffee machine or water filter. https://www.liquidline.co.uk/ check out the huge range from Liquidline and get a free quote or trial. If you just can’t quit your coffee shop habit then at least use a reusable coffee cup. Did you know that Starbucks reward customers who get into the recycling habit with a discount on every drink bought? Giving them a 25p discount every single time they bring in their own cup.
Top tip 2: Cups and glasses over plastic and paper
Use reusable water bottles and mugs at work.
Top tip 3: Prep Ahead
Save money and the planet by packing your lunch ahead of time with reusable containers. You might find that you make healthier, lower calorie choices this way too!
Top tip 4: Bring nature indoors
Did you know that having plants in your indoor environment can help clean the air, offset VOCs and CO2 emissions, and improve your mood?
Biophilia is the term for our love of nature and living things, we are genetically pre-disposed to feeling uplifted and ‘connected’ when we are exposed to natural elements. Including biophilic elements, like plants, in your office environment increase positive feelings, aid concentration and subconsciously connect you to nature and the wider world.
Bonus: plants look great and are a low-cost way to add contemporary decoration for any desk. You can get a FREE QUOTEfor office plants here.
Top tip 5: Make Greener Office-Wear Choices
If you wear shirts to the office choose ones made of natural cotton or even better organic cotton, as synthetic fibres wash into our oceans adding to the plastic contamination. Do a label check before buying new clothes and avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned. If it really needs dry cleaning seek out your local “green” dry cleaner. Look for your local Johnson Cleaners… Branch search
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Leave It To Planteria, We’ll Do It All For You
